Luminescent properties of lithium glass scintillator at low temperatures
Abstract
This paper describes the change of the luminescent properties of GS20 irradiated by X-rays and alpha particles at different low temperatures with a wide range from 60 K to about 310 K. The light yield (LY) of GS20 declines with the drop of the temperature of GS20 when either X-rays or alpha particles irradiate the GS20. Under the excitation of X-rays, the LY of GS20 nearly does not change until the temperature is lower than 180 K and the shape of the luminescent spectra does not change with the drop in temperature. However, the LY of GS20 irradiated by alpha particles gradually declines below 180 K as the temperature drops, and declines faster than that under the excitation of X-rays. Due to the principles of GS20 detecting neutrons and γ-rays, the results obtained by alpha particles and X-rays can reflect the temperature dependence of the GS20 response to neutrons and γ-rays, respectively. Therefore, we can infer that the low temperature is disadvantageous in neutron/gamma discrimination. This study is useful for reference in applications of GS20 at low temperatures and necessary for other peers to understand the luminescent mechanism of this amorphous scintillator better.
- Publication:
-
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A
- Pub Date:
- February 2020
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.nima.2019.163190
- Bibcode:
- 2020NIMPA.95363190R
- Keywords:
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- Lithium glass scintillator;
- GS20;
- Low temperature;
- Luminescent spectra;
- Light yield (LY);
- Neutron detector;
- Thermal neutron